Modern Languages

The GW4 region is unique in the United Kingdom in having three officially recognised languages, English, Welsh and Cornish. It is also home to individuals whose mother-tongue ranges from German to Somali. This linguistic diversity represents a wealth of different stories and perspectives on the world. It reflects a history of empire and maritime trade the South West. It also mirrors increasing multilingualism in the UK, and the wider world: a situation that offers both new challenges and new opportunities.

Christina Horvath leads this strand of Bridging the Gap, and will be scoping out existing collaborations between modern languages researchers and partner organisations beyond academia in order to understand what makes partnerships successful and sustainable. The project will also be considering what particular assets modern languages researchers bring to inter-cultural collaborations and how their multifaceted expertise can be used to generate exciting new opportunities for the region and beyond.